Process for producing lampblack



Mar. 3. 1925.` A 1,528,324

C. FISCHER PROCESS FOR PRODUCING LAMPBLACK Filed July 5, 1925 Flche?? abbot n u Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

FrtFlllll" CARL FISCHER, 0F WEST HGMESTEAID, FENNSYLVANEIA.

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING LAMPBLCK.

Application filed July 5, 1923. Serial No. @4&683.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1 CARL FISCHER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at "West Homestead, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a Process for Producing Lampblack, of which the following is a full and complete specification.

It is well known that lampblack or carbon for commercial uses may be produced from hydrocarbon by subjecting the same to a high temperature (about 3200 F.) when it will become decomposed or dissociated into its constituent elements permitting the separated carbon or lampblack to be collected, and that the processes commonly employed introduce the hydrocarbon into an electric tube furnace heated to the required temperature for dissociation and collect the carbon in a settling chamber into which the elements are drawn from the furnace. With these processes, however,'the successful operation is seriously affected by the accumulation of carbon on the wall of .the tube or furnace which not only varies the quality of the product but also prevents a desired continuous operation by requiring the tube to be frequently removed and cleaned.

The main obj ect of my invention is to provide a process by which the hydrocarbon is gradually but quickly brought to the temperature at which dissociationtakes place and at this point the elements are immediately ejected to be dispersed or dissipated in a large separating chamber from which they are drawn to asettling chamber for collecting the carbon or lampblack, the several steps of the process in the present instance having the result of not only accomplishing a longer continuous operation than hereto- 95 fore permitted but also producing lamp* discharged for complete dissociation, being black or carbon of even texture and superior drawn from the latter by a suction-fan 24 quality. through exit openings 23 to be blown into a As an example of apparatus for carrying settlingchamber (not shown) for collecting Out my improved process l may employ an the carbon or lamp black. As it will be 100 electrically heated tube into which the hynoted there are several openings from chamdrocarbon is introduced and heated to a temperature approximating dissociation, an auxiliary heater into which the hydrocarbon passes from the tube and is heated to the ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus for carrying out my process.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the pri mary heater.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the auxiliary or main heater with its supporting means.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the auxiliary or main heater.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

In carrying out my process by the apparatus herein .shown the body 10 forms what l term the separating chamber and is preferably cylindrical in shape with a removable top 11, the latter being provided centrally with a tubular extension 12 rising therefrom to form a smaller chamber communicating with the separating chamber. The body portion, top and tubular extension may be made of suitable metal and the top secured to the body by bolts or screws 13 threaded into flanges 1()EL projecting laterally from the upper end of said' body. The tubular extension 12 is closed at its upper end by a removable `cap 14: likewise secured in place by bolts or screws, as 16, threaded into latu eral flanges 12a', a view of the inside of the extension or smaller chamber being provided by a sight-opening 17 in the cap normally closed by a threaded plug 18 with a protecting glass 19 interposed between said cap and extension.

Within the tubular extension or smaller furnace-chamber there is a heating device 20, hereinafter particularly described, through which the hydrocarbon passes from an inlet pipe 21 to a main heating device 22 at the upper end of the separating chamber and into which latter the dissociated elements are ber 10, in the form of integral couplings 25, so that discharge fans may be connected to two or more of said exit-openings whereby the fans may be cleaned alternately without interrupting the continuous operation of the apparatus, for which purpose there is a cuto valve 26 interposed' between the fan and separating chamber, and those exit-openings not connectedto a fan provide access to the point of dissociation, and a separating chamber cooperating with the auxiliary heater to effect a complete dissociation, such an apparatus heilig shown in the accompanying drawings.

separating chamber for cleaning out any accumulation of carbon therein, being normally closed by a plate 47 bolted to the couplinig- 25.

The heating device 20 located in the vertical extension or smaller chamber l2 of the apparatus or furnace is preferably an electric heater of the type herein shown comprising a tube 27 through which the hydrocarbon passes anda resistance wire 28 surrounding said tube, the resistance-wire being insulated by a covering 29 of insulating material, and the complete heating device fits closely within the chamber resting upon a flange 12a near the lower end of said chamber, while suitable connections are led to and from the resistance-wire, as indicated in the drawings. When this heater is in place the tube 27 extends below the supporting flange to enter the upper-end of the auxiliary heating device 22 supported within the separating chamber, and the upper end of said tube receives the discharge end of the inlet pipe 21 for the hydrocarbon. The auxiliary heating device is also an electric heater composed of a suitable electric resistance Inaterial, as amorphous carbon, and in this instance is in the form of a split thimble to provide a continuous unbroken ring 30 at its lower end with slightly separated Side members 31 31, having opposite openings 31a, whereby the ring 30 thereof will retain heat at the temperature for dissociation of the hydrocarbon elements so that the latter will immediately pass therefrom into the main 'chamber of the furnace for complete dissociation. Of course electric current may be supplied to the thimble comprising the auxiliary heater in any suitable manner and any approved means provided for supporting said thimble within the upper end of the separating chamber so that it will properly cooperate with the primary heatino device 20. As shown the upper end of the heating device 22 is provided with supporting flanges 32 received shaped grooves at the center of the spaced apart semi-circular supporting disks 33 33 of suitable electric conducting material, as graphite, said disks being connected to the removable top 1l of the furnaceb upwardly extendingbindingposts 37 with an interposed insulating disk 34 and surrounding insulating ring 35, the latter having a groove at its inner upper edge to receive the outer edges of the semi-circular supporting' disks or conductors 33 and rests upon a co1- lar 42 supported within the separating chamber on a, flange l0b formed integrally with the sides thereof. Where the binding posts 37 pass through the metal top 11 there are suitable insulating bushings 38, and wire connections with said binding posts may be by way of the usual bindin nuts 39, and to intimately connect the con uctors 33 to the in correspondingly insulating disk 34 screws 4() are employed, while for a similar purpose-and to assure proper contact-thimble 22 is connected to conductors 33 by Screws 4l (F ig. By this arrangement the electric heater 22 and conductor plates by which it is supported are readily removable with the top for inspection and renewal, and when in place are additionally supported by ring 35 and collar 42, the latter also serving to reduce the upper portion of the separating chamber for more effective operation of the furnace. It will be noted, also, that the primary heater 20 may be readily removed through the upper end of the extension l2 by removing the cap 14.

The temperature of the lower part of the separating chamber may be reduced by means of a water jacket 43, in which water is fed -by inlet-pipe 44 at the lower end thereof and overfiow carried off by pipe 45,

the bottom of the separating chamber belng.

spaced from the bottom of the jacket or tank by lugs 46.'

The operation of my improved process for producing carbon or lampblack will be readily understood from the apparatus hereiubefore described, for the hydrocarbon being introduced into the tube 27 of the primary heater from the inlet pipe 2l will be heated in said tube on its passage through the Same and entering -the upper part of the auxiliary heating device 22 which is maintained at a temperature producing dissociation of the elements of the hydrocarbon the latter will be immediately ejected into the separating or expansion chamber l() for complete dissociation and from there drawn out by fan 24 for discharge into a settling chamber such as usually employed in a furnace or apparatus of this kind. ln

this operation the hydrocarbon is heated in the tube 27 to the point of or approximating dissociation and then introduced into the heating device 22 maintained at dissociation temperature so as to be immediately discharged into the expansion chamber, and as there is no accumulation of carbon on the walls of tube 27 or heating device 22 to interfere with the flow of the hydrocarbon there is provided in the presentl instance a continuous operation. Furthermore, by providing for completedissociation in expansion or separating chamber -10 a better quality ofilampblack is produced, and any lampblack or carbon that may accumulate in the expansion chamber will collect on the bottom thereof to be quickly cooled by the water jacket. In other words, all of the lampblack produced by the process herein described is of practically an even'iteXture, whereas in the operation of the usual types of electric tube furnaces there is a hardening of the carbon collected on the tube which varies the meegaat lquality of the product, and this accumulation not only limits the length ot opera' tion of the furnace but also adects the flow of hydrocarbon through the tube.

l. The method or process of producing carbon for commercial uses which consists in passing hydrocarbon through a primary heating device into an auxiliary heating device having a ring at its lower end heated to the temperature ot dissociation of the elements of the hydrocarbon and discharging from said ring into an expansion'chamber.

2. The method or process of producing carbon for commercial uses which consists in passing the hydrocarbon through a heated tube into a ring larger in diameter than the tube and heated to the temperature of dissociation ot the elements of the hydro* carbon and discharging the dissociated ele-l ments from said ring into a large expansion chamber. l

3. The method or process of producing carbon for commercial uses which consists in passing the hydrocarbon through a heated tube into a ring larger in diameter than the tube and heated tothe temperature of dissociation'ot the elements of the hydrocarbon, discharging the elements from said ring into a large eXpansior chamber and conducting the same therefrom to a setdll tling chamber.

4. The method or process of 4producing carbon tor commercial uses which consists in. passing the hydrocarbon through a tube heated to a temperature slightly below that required tor dissociation of the elements of the hydro-carbon into a split-thimble having a ring at its lower end heated to the temperature ot dissociation of the elecarbon tor commercial uses which consists in passing the hydrocarbon through a tube heated to a temperature slightly below that required for dissociation of the elements of the hydro-carbona trom said tube into a thmble of larger internal diameter than the tube and heated to the temperature ot dissociation of the elements of the hydrocarbon, discharging from the thimble into a large expansion chamber, and conducting the dissociated elements trom the expan sion chamber to a settling chamber.,

` 6. rlhe method or vprocess of producing carbon 'for commercial uses which consists in passing the hydrocarbon througha tube heated to a temperature slightly below that required for dissociation of the elements of the hydro-carbon, trom said tube into a thimble heated to the temperature of dissociation of the elements of the hydrocarbon, and discharging from said thimble into a large expansion chamber the walls of which are subjected to a cooling medium.,

7. The method or process of producing carbon :for commerical uses which consists in passing hydrocarbon through a tube heated to a temperature slightly below that required for dissociation of the elements et the hydrocarbon7 from said tube into a thimble ot larger diameter than the tube and heated to the temperature of dissociation 'of the elements of the hydrocarbon, discharging from said thimble into a large expansion and cooling chamber, and drawing the dissociated elements by suction from said-expansion and cooling chamber.

@ARL FESUHER. 

